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There are madatory slide rules in some levels of baseball, and the catchers take full advantage of that by going up the line a few feet, sometimes more, so that when the runner slides, he has no chance of making it to the plate. It's a tough thing to fix.

Talent is God Given: be humble.
Fame is man given: be thankful.
Conceit is self given: be careful.

Something as simple as wearing a helmet while driving would save tens of thousands of lives everyday. If we are so concerned about everyone being safe, then lets be consistent and demand whether someone is driving, playing any type of sport or any other type of activity that could potentially cause bodily harm that we mandate rules and precautions to keep that person safe and sound.

Or we could just suck it up and realize living life may cause certain risks. I do realize some will think I sound like a heartless barbarian when stating such a thing.

I've never heard anything like this. Given that there are less than 100 deaths per day in the United States as a result of automobile accidents, it's also not close to true. And it's a really weird area for you to point to, since based on your philosophy they never should have added seat belts or any other mandatory safety features to cars. They did, however, and as a result the number of auto fatalities (as a percentage of miles traveled) has plummeted in the past 50 years, saving hundreds of thousands of people who would be dead if other people had the same attitude that you do.

The numbers are actually quite amazing if you look at them. It's actually one of the most amazing accomplishments in our history, and not really a good example at all of an area where safety features outweigh the costs.

There are areas where an obsession with safety is probably not worth the cost. I mean, I don't think anyone has ever been killed from a line drive to the head in MLB in almost 100 years, so this may even be one of the areas, although on the other hand it's hard for me to see the downside of pitchers or other players wearing helmets in the field, outside of some vague notion that we are all wimps. Seems a small cost to pay.

I do sometimes wonder if an obsession with safety and requiring more expensive equipment in sports will discourage kids from playing sports, leading to a more sedentary lifestyle that is far more dangerous and deadly than the miniscule chance of being hit with a line drive (or being killed or severely injured in a football game, for example). Those are the types of "hidden" costs that we need to be very mindful of--but I think requiring helmets in the field is probably only helpful at the highest levels of the game where the expense of adding helmets is probably not prohibitive.

Finally, my thoughts are with Brandon McCarthy and his family and I hope he is OK.

There are madatory slide rules in some levels of baseball, and the catchers take full advantage of that by going up the line a few feet, sometimes more, so that when the runner slides, he has no chance of making it to the plate. It's a tough thing to fix.

That's because no one learns how to use a slide rule in school anymore.

I think MLB has already gone overboard in the area of protection. Larry Bowa gets it:

"That's not for me," said Bowa, a former player and manager in the Major Leagues in his first year with the Dodgers. "My question is, how can I be in the league 40 years and the league says who wears a helmet and who doesn't? One guy got killed and I'm sorry it happened. But bats break and they can be a deadly weapon. Do something about bats.

"Umpires get hit with line drives. I've probably seen 50 of them get hit. If coaches have to wear helmets, umpires should. I'll sign a waiver. And there should be a grandfather clause. These are very cumbersome. They talk about delay of game, and when the helmet falls off, you'll have to stop the game. It should be an option. I know I'm talking for a lot of guys who won't say anything. I'll write a check for 162 games if I have to to not wear it."

The ten thousand deaths a day was an exaggeration but I would wager to say you could save that many lives or injuries a year if we did mandate helmets in cars or at the very least lowered the speed limit to 10 MPH.

I am also opposed to mandatory seat belt usage in the same manner I would be opposed to mandatory helmets on pitchers, fielders, base coaches or whoever. If someone chooses to use a seat belt or wear a helmet then that is their right, I just oppose more restrictions and regulations all in the desire to do what is perceived by some as being best for the common good.

Last edited by George Anderson; 09-08-2012 at 10:56 AM.

"Boys, I'm one of those umpires that misses 'em every once in a while so if it's close, you'd better hit it." Cal Hubbard

There are madatory slide rules in some levels of baseball, and the catchers take full advantage of that by going up the line a few feet, sometimes more, so that when the runner slides, he has no chance of making it to the plate. It's a tough thing to fix.

That is why the best rule is for the runner to avoid contact. Mandatory slide rules IMO are silly.

"Boys, I'm one of those umpires that misses 'em every once in a while so if it's close, you'd better hit it." Cal Hubbard

I mean, I don't think anyone has ever been killed from a line drive to the head in MLB in almost 100 years, so this may even be one of the areas, although on the other hand it's hard for me to see the downside of pitchers or other players wearing helmets in the field, outside of some vague notion that we are all wimps. Seems a small cost to pay.

There's plenty of downside. Those helmets are heavy and hot. If even 3rd base coaches like Larry Bowa don't like them, you can imagine what pitchers will think. I'd like a rule where only Reds (pitching) opponents are required to wear helmets...

There's a certain amount of risk getting out of bed in the morning. Your insurance salesman has a rider on your homeowners policy, I'm sure.

I remember when the little leaguers started wearing the heart guard body armor because of one or a few incidents with line drives to the chest. By the time my kids were playing, I think I saw one little boy with overprotective parents wearing one. You still see facemask helmets, but fortunately, folks realized that all the protection the world on the ball field was an overreaction.

There's a certain amount of risk getting out of bed in the morning. Your insurance salesman has a rider on your homeowners policy, I'm sure.

I remember when the little leaguers started wearing the heart guard body armor because of one or a few incidents with line drives to the chest. By the time my kids were playing, I think I saw one little boy with overprotective parents wearing one. You still see facemask helmets, but fortunately, folks realized that all the protection the world on the ball field was an overreaction.

It reminds me this past summer when I umpired a game with a travel ball coach who was ranting about how all levels of sports have gone overboard with the safety nonsense. He actually was a former MLB player who also played with Scott Coolbaugh. He kinda insinuated Coolbaugh would have thought base coaches wearing helmets was an overreaction also.

"Boys, I'm one of those umpires that misses 'em every once in a while so if it's close, you'd better hit it." Cal Hubbard

That is why the best rule is for the runner to avoid contact. Mandatory slide rules IMO are silly.

I agree, George, they are silly. My problem with the runner avoiding contact is when the catcher takes full advantage of knowing he won't get plowed and comes up the line and blocks it. It doesn't give the runner a chance.

Talent is God Given: be humble.
Fame is man given: be thankful.
Conceit is self given: be careful.

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